


The Rattle and the Trumpet

by amyfortuna



Category: The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Amused Gandalf, Baby Samwise, Beginning of a Beautiful Friendship, Gen, Good Uncle Bilbo Baggins, Teen Frodo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-18
Updated: 2016-09-18
Packaged: 2018-08-14 01:36:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,239
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7993813
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amyfortuna/pseuds/amyfortuna
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Fifteen-year old Frodo, on a visit to Uncle Bilbo, meets two people who will become very important to him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Rattle and the Trumpet

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lady_Katana4544](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Katana4544/gifts).



"Frodo, my lad!" Bilbo called out as Frodo ran through the front door of Bag End, his clothes messy from a day playing outside. He didn't have many friends, not here at Bag End where he was visiting his uncle, not as many as he had at home in Brandybuck Hall, so he spent his time climbing trees, pretending to be an Elf in one of Bilbo's old tales, journeying from Cuiviénen across the whole length of Middle-earth to sail over the Sea. It had been a pleasant day, enlivened by the discovery of a bird's nest in the tree he'd chosen to climb, with several squalling nestlings clamouring for food. He'd watched their parents bring worms and bugs, still squirming, for them to eat, and had decided after a while, to help by turning over old rotten logs. After a while of tramping through the muddy forest, though, he'd become bored, and gone home to Bag End. 

He wiped his feet off on the mat, then ran into the kitchen, skidding to a stop at the sight of a stranger in Bag End. He was an old man with bushy eyebrows, dressed in a long grey robe, sitting hunched over slightly at the kitchen table, sipping from a mug of tea which was far too small for him. For a moment the hobbit and the wizard stared at each other, speechless.

Bilbo came back into the kitchen from the direction of the pantry, carrying a large loaf of bread. "Ah, Frodo!" he said. "This is Gandalf!"

Memories of stories came rushing back, fireworks, dragons, Elves, Dwarves, adventures beyond the borders of the Shire. "Gandalf!" Frodo exclaimed. "You're not here to take my uncle away again on a mad adventure again, are you?" Frodo stepped forward, reaching out to brush a hand against the worn sleeve of Gandalf's robe. Gandalf quirked his bushy eyebrows. 

"Not today, my lad," he said, looking him up and down. "Though it looks from the state of your trousers that you've already been on an adventure!" 

"But maybe tomorrow!" Bilbo shot back over his shoulder, slicing bread for toast. Frodo glanced across at him. 

"Well, then I'm going with you! I can face dragons too! And I want to meet Elves and Dwarves and I want to stay in Rivendell and visit Dale and kill spiders - thwack!" Frodo brought his hand down on the table, as if he was killing one of the Mirkwood spiders' many-times-smaller cousins. 

"Would that it was so easy," Bilbo said with a grimace, placing a slice of bread onto the toasting fork. He looked over at Frodo. "What have you done to your trousers? Did you actually walk through a bog?" 

"No!" Frodo said. "I know I'm not supposed to go in those. I was in the woods, watching the birds feed their little babies." He put his hands on his hips proudly. "And I helped! I turned over rocks and logs so the birds could find bugs and worms and stuff!" 

"Go and clean up," Bilbo said, sternly, but not unkindly. "Mrs Mayfeather dropped the washing by earlier, so you have clean clothes all ready to go. Then come and have some toast with us!" He gestured in the vague direction of Frodo's room with the toasting fork and Gandalf ducked just in time. "Whoops, sorry, Gandalf, didn't mean to nearly whack you there." Frodo giggled and ran off down the hall. 

When he came back in, there was a plate of toast ready for him, dripping with golden butter and honey, and a mug of hot cocoa next to it. He sat down on the bench next to Bilbo, who was talking animatedly to Gandalf, and devoured the toast. 

"...and poor Bell Gamgee, due with her fifth any minute now, and still trying to do my washing, I wouldn't have it. I need the money, she said. Well, of course you do, I answered, what with all these mouths to feed, fine lads and lasses that they are." 

"Has Mother Gamgee had the baby yet?" Frodo said. "This visit, Halfred's always busy whenever I want to play." Halfred Gamgee was of an age with Frodo, and on a previous visit to Bag End, had spent a pleasant day playing conkers with him in the garden. 

"No babe yet," Bilbo said. "Though, any minute now, really." 

"Well, I bring word from Dale for you, Bilbo," Gandalf said. "And the Mountain of course, too, but..." He turned to Frodo. "Frodo, please go and fetch my bag from the porch, if you will." 

Frodo dutifully ran off to get it, and Bilbo carried on. "So, when the baby is born, I'm going to slip enough coin into the cradle so that she won't miss having to do my washing for a few weeks. And it's probably time to give Hamfast a raise. Never had a better gardener." 

"Here you are, Mr Gandalf, sir," Frodo said, handing him the bag. Gandalf thanked him, and rustled through it. 

"Ah-hah, here we go," he said, placing a baby's rattle on the table. "That's from Dale, their newly-revived toy market. They fully intend to be the wonder of the North once again, given half a chance."

"It's a good present for a baby," Frodo said. 

"Well, Frodo my lad, it's yours to give to the new lad or lass down at Gamgee's," Gandalf said. "But I have something for you, too." He pulled out a small brass trumpet and handed it across to Frodo. 

"Thank you!" Frodo said, a smile spreading across his face, and blew a short blast on the trumpet. Both Gandalf and Bilbo hastened to cover their ears. 

"Well, it works!" Bilbo said, laughing. "Though I think it's meant to be played outdoors, nephew!" 

"Let's go outside, then!" Frodo said, and raced over to the door, flinging it wide open. Down in Bagshot Row, the door of Number Three also flew open at that exact moment, and Halfred Gamgee raced up the hill. 

"I've got a baby brother, Frodo!" he called. 

"At last!" Bilbo said, hurrying to the door. Gandalf followed, more slowly. "All well?" he called down. 

"Right as rain," Halfred said, approaching. "Healthy as can be. Samwise we're calling him!" 

"A good strong name for a good strong lad," Gandalf said, coming out onto the steps. 

"Can I see him, can I see him?" Frodo said eagerly. "I have a present for him!" He blew another short celebratory blast on the trumpet. 

"Of course!" Halfred said, and he ran back down the hill with Frodo at his heels. Bilbo ducked back into the house for a moment, then he and Gandalf followed more sedately. 

Sam Gamgee was a tiny red bundle sleeping peacefully in Frodo's arms by the time they arrived at Number 3 Bagshot Row. Bell Gamgee, up and about already, bid fair to be intimidated by Bilbo, not to mention Gandalf, but Bilbo laughed. "We're just neighbours come to congratulate you tonight," he explained. "And Frodo has a present for your little one." 

Sam chose that moment to wake up, blinking sleepy blue eyes open. Frodo, holding him in the crook of one arm, extended his other hand so that Sam could catch a finger, which he did, clinging tight. 

"There's a pair of lifelong friends," Gandalf remarked. 

Frodo looked up at him, then down to the baby in his arms. "Yes," he said. "I think so."


End file.
